hadkin
04-14-2009, 06:57 AM
Considering that we have enough room to have a double din system, I think we should. I personally became tired of listening to my ipod using the tape deck.
Let’s start with the: Metra 95-3302 Double-DIN kit which was originally suggested by phantomzer0. It was screwed in at the top and one piece was snipped off on the bottom on each side. The install was professionally done by Ian Kee of Kee Audio. Remember to cut the plastic piece in the back of your radio deck since it keeps it from sliding your new radio all the way back.
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10806.jpg
Don’t forget that a new radio will need a 88+ GM harness and a new antenna jack. Your radio might require you to take that light green wire to your green wire at the hand break. This is to keep you from watching videos while driving.
Now that you have a new radio that works, you can start thinking about a bezel for it. Now here are all the things you’ll need to buy to make this work. We have bondo, plastering tools, a small saw, and sandpaper: 60, 120, 180, 320, and 400 grit will do, gray primer, textured multicolor paint, dark charcoal grey bumper paint, and glue to put that plastic piece you cut out onto your bezel.
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10801.jpg
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10802.jpg
In general, you’ll be cutting ALL the way up the upper lip, right up to where the clips hold your controls. You’ll also have to cut into the bottom lip some too, but don’t be too liberal here.
As for the sides, you’ll need something at least temporarily to glue on the side so that you can start bondo-ing. I used the plastic piece from the spare tire that I cut into. It eventually fell off, but at that time the bondo wasn’t going anywhere and I guess I can reuse them if I want.
1. The day you start cutting your bezel you’ll probably make lots of trips to your car to make sure your not cutting too much or not enough. Have fun, I hope its not cold or rainy that day.
2. Glue your plastic piece to the sides to cover the hole on the sides of your bezel.
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10781.jpg
3. Add bondo liberally on the sides. Bondo is tricky. Once you add the hardener, you only have about a minute to do your best work. If you made too much mix, it might dry on you before your done adding it. Remember to add only a “pea size” hardener to a golf ball size bondo.
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10786.jpg
4. Here comes the hard part. Sanding. Start with the lowest grit and work your way up. Add more dondo when nessisary. You’ll even need to bondo and sand the bottom piece too, cause if you don’t, you’ll be able to see behind the bezel on the bottom. Most of the difference in the variations of the bezels you see in all the work everyone’s done comes from this step.
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10787.jpg
5. I gave edges to my bezels corners. Its not that hard to think up, it’s just hard to execute cause how much laser precision is your hands going to have. NONE, that’s right. The dremel tool helps here.
6. Wipe it then Prime it, or it’ll chip. Don’t get that cheap clear primer either. Rust-oleum is high quality, try using it whenever possible. After you prime it you might notice everywhere you screwed up, haha, sad. You might need to do more bondo-ing and sanding again.
7. Paint it with dark charcoal gray.
8. Add textured multicolor paint. It’ll look more like clear paint with fine sand in it. Make sure its uniform.
9. Add your last coat of dark charcoal gray to make that textured paint all the same color.
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10803.jpg
Here is a picture of my backside... I mean the bezels back side:
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10805.jpg
and lastly, here is the before and after:
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10793.jpg
I'm a chiropractic student, and in 2 months I graduate and open a business thereafter. I'm not sure how interested I would be in making bezels for others. Its time consuming and I'm extremely anal sometimes, so I don't think i'd like to make a living breathing in bondo and sanding for others. Unless someone can mold mine?
Investment: $75 for tools. you might already have some, and it could be less.
used ebay bezel: $30
time: 10-100 hours, based on how experienced you are and how much attention to detail. I was closer to the later end.
Let’s start with the: Metra 95-3302 Double-DIN kit which was originally suggested by phantomzer0. It was screwed in at the top and one piece was snipped off on the bottom on each side. The install was professionally done by Ian Kee of Kee Audio. Remember to cut the plastic piece in the back of your radio deck since it keeps it from sliding your new radio all the way back.
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10806.jpg
Don’t forget that a new radio will need a 88+ GM harness and a new antenna jack. Your radio might require you to take that light green wire to your green wire at the hand break. This is to keep you from watching videos while driving.
Now that you have a new radio that works, you can start thinking about a bezel for it. Now here are all the things you’ll need to buy to make this work. We have bondo, plastering tools, a small saw, and sandpaper: 60, 120, 180, 320, and 400 grit will do, gray primer, textured multicolor paint, dark charcoal grey bumper paint, and glue to put that plastic piece you cut out onto your bezel.
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10801.jpg
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10802.jpg
In general, you’ll be cutting ALL the way up the upper lip, right up to where the clips hold your controls. You’ll also have to cut into the bottom lip some too, but don’t be too liberal here.
As for the sides, you’ll need something at least temporarily to glue on the side so that you can start bondo-ing. I used the plastic piece from the spare tire that I cut into. It eventually fell off, but at that time the bondo wasn’t going anywhere and I guess I can reuse them if I want.
1. The day you start cutting your bezel you’ll probably make lots of trips to your car to make sure your not cutting too much or not enough. Have fun, I hope its not cold or rainy that day.
2. Glue your plastic piece to the sides to cover the hole on the sides of your bezel.
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10781.jpg
3. Add bondo liberally on the sides. Bondo is tricky. Once you add the hardener, you only have about a minute to do your best work. If you made too much mix, it might dry on you before your done adding it. Remember to add only a “pea size” hardener to a golf ball size bondo.
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10786.jpg
4. Here comes the hard part. Sanding. Start with the lowest grit and work your way up. Add more dondo when nessisary. You’ll even need to bondo and sand the bottom piece too, cause if you don’t, you’ll be able to see behind the bezel on the bottom. Most of the difference in the variations of the bezels you see in all the work everyone’s done comes from this step.
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10787.jpg
5. I gave edges to my bezels corners. Its not that hard to think up, it’s just hard to execute cause how much laser precision is your hands going to have. NONE, that’s right. The dremel tool helps here.
6. Wipe it then Prime it, or it’ll chip. Don’t get that cheap clear primer either. Rust-oleum is high quality, try using it whenever possible. After you prime it you might notice everywhere you screwed up, haha, sad. You might need to do more bondo-ing and sanding again.
7. Paint it with dark charcoal gray.
8. Add textured multicolor paint. It’ll look more like clear paint with fine sand in it. Make sure its uniform.
9. Add your last coat of dark charcoal gray to make that textured paint all the same color.
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10803.jpg
Here is a picture of my backside... I mean the bezels back side:
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10805.jpg
and lastly, here is the before and after:
http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/qq118/hadkin/SDC10793.jpg
I'm a chiropractic student, and in 2 months I graduate and open a business thereafter. I'm not sure how interested I would be in making bezels for others. Its time consuming and I'm extremely anal sometimes, so I don't think i'd like to make a living breathing in bondo and sanding for others. Unless someone can mold mine?
Investment: $75 for tools. you might already have some, and it could be less.
used ebay bezel: $30
time: 10-100 hours, based on how experienced you are and how much attention to detail. I was closer to the later end.